is that even a question? i thought you were smarter than that, * she grins, silently pleased with his reaction. * everyday i come home, she keeps looking behind me like she expects you to spring out from some hidden secret door in the wall. i feel like she’s a little disappointed when you don’t because she gives me this look, like — * her expression then stills before she pouts, brows drawn together in melancholy ( a near perfect imitation of her mother’s ), * like /that/ — and it makes me feel bad! i miss your mom, though, tell her i said hi if i don’t see her when she comes back. * she then hesitates, meaning to ask about howard as well, but he was smiling and she definitely did not want to dampen his mood. * if you do come over, dad will rope you into working in the yard again and i don’t need a repeat of what happened last time —